Pressure is mounting from the White House on Senate Republicans to confirm Mike Waltz this week as United Nations ambassador, a long-stalled nominee who is among dozens that must be reconsidered by committees over a chamber rules snafu with Democrats.
Amid a broader political fight with Republicans over changing Senate rules to fast-track President Donald Trump’s nominees, Democrats forced GOP leadership to send dozens of lower-level picks back to relevant committees for approval due to proxy or voice votes, rendering Waltz and others “not properly reported” to the full chamber.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee initially advanced Waltz’s nomination 12-10 in July. The panel will revote on Waltz on Wednesday morning, meaning final confirmation may not come until later this week or next week for the last open spot in the president’s Cabinet. The Senate is scheduled to recess next week for the Rosh Hashanah Jewish holiday, but the break could be shortened due to a Sept. 30 government funding deadline.
Trump is set to speak at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City next week, which is already underway.
A White House official told the Washington Examiner that Trump “has been clear that he wants all of his nominees confirmed as quickly as possible.” Senate Republicans typically confirm nominees based on the White House’s priority levels.
Trump strategist Jason Miller has openly pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to confirm Waltz and other foreign policy nominees in time for the president’s trip to the U.N. meeting, even if it means keeping senators in town through the weekend. Miller said it would be a “terrible look” if Trump did not yet have Waltz confirmed and on the job to officially represent the U.S. at the annual international gathering.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has struggled to fill the U.N. post. He initially tapped Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), whose nomination he withdrew in March over concerns about House Republicans’ razor-thin majority.
Waltz has faced controversy over the Signalgate scandal as Trump’s former national security advisor, a role he was ousted from earlier this year after mistakenly adding a reporter to a group chat detailing sensitive military plans. Still, Waltz managed to advance from Foreign Relations with the support of ranking member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). He’s expected to again advance out of the committee.
Republicans attempted to avoid needing repeat committee votes for dozens of judicial, foreign policy, and various other nominees last week but were blocked by Democrats. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) advocated for unanimous consent on a procedural workaround, which was objected by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Grassley said allowing voice and proxy votes in committees on nominees was “a longstanding practice of our committee and involve complete cooperation between the majority and minority parties on the committee.”
WALTZ GRILLED ON SIGNALGATE IN TRUMP NOMINEE’S QUEST TO FILL UN POST
Schumer, citing a GOP rule change to group an unlimited number of nominees into one confirmation vote on the floor, said Republicans could “negotiate in a fair, bipartisan way with us, and many of these things could be resolved. Do it in a partisan way. Bow down to Donald Trump — no way,” he added.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, noted several nominees were also sent back to his panel by Republicans due to what he called “a little confusion as to what standard applies.”